1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to agricultural vehicles and more particularly to a multiple use agricultural vehicle for collecting and transporting hay bales in multiple levels and alternatively lifting and transporting a livestock cage.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There are several patents which disclose agricultural vehicles designed merely for collecting and transporting a single level of hay bales and make no provision for increasing the utility of the vehicle to perform other agricultural tasks.
Parker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,241 discloses an agricultural vehicle having a plurality of cooperative pairs of cylinders for lifting and transporting hay bales.
Love, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,844 discloses an apparatus having a pair of longitudinal lifting members operated by hydraulic cylinders to lift the hay bales.
Kucera, U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,137 discloses a bale handling device having longitudinal lifting members attached to a frame which moves vertically relative to the wheels of the vehicle when hydraulic cylinders are actuated.
Christenson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,862,635 discloses a straddle carrier having vertically movable load lifting members operated by hydraulic cylinders.
Belding, U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,057 discloses a lift truck having lifting tines connected to rollers or casters disposed in hollow slotted vertical legs. A pair of cables connect the dollies to a hoisting unit comprising a hand crank and pair of reels mounted on a shaft.
The prior art in general, and none of these patents in particular, does not disclose an agricultural vehicle for collecting and transporting hay bales at different levels and equipped alternatively for lifting and transporting a livestock cage.